We The People -- The granddaddy of the ever expanding
genre of Card Driven Games (CDG) -- is on the verge of passing
into wargaming lore. Like Tactics II and Gettysburg,
this ground breaking design is an out of print collector's
item. However, WTP has not yet been relegated to being
just another title reminisced over by a legion of misty eyed,
graying grognards. Instead, the title has been fighting,
and winning, its right to remain on the WBC Century List by consistently
enrolling a field of players numbering in the low forties - no
mean feat given the ever growing competition. This year,
however, we are going to begin our transition to a newer design.

It is easy to see why WTP retains such a loyal following,
and indeed, due to its open newcomers bracket is continually
infused with new blood. It is the fastest to play and simplest
to learn of all the CDGs. Competitors continue to be drawn
by WTP's uncomplicated rules and rapid play (games are expected
to be decided within two hours); just the thing we all need after
a week of coping with the mind numbing details of more complex
games. But the real attraction of WTP is the fact that
luck plays an astonishingly small role in the outcome -- it is
entirely possible for a player with a well executed strategy
to lose every single battle and still win the war. If that
doesn't remind one of the American Revolution, nothing will!
On the other hand, the turn of a single card can either derail
a fragile strategy or reward a daring chance and thus generate
excitement levels equal to any game.

Nonetheless, an out of print game can only be expected to
hang on for so long. The good news is that designer Mark
Herman and publisher GMT are collaborating to bring out a new
title, George Washington's War (WWA). The WWA design philosophy
has been to replace WTP in terms of filling the niche of a simple,
fast, easy to learn, card driven game dealing with the military,
political and diplomatic events making up the American Revolution.
The better news is that because WWA holds so much in common with
its WTP ancestor, WBC convention director Don Greenwood has tentatively
agreed that WWA can inherit WTP's position on the Century List
without losing its longevity. Admittedly, this is more
a conceit for the prestige of having an uninterrupted span from
the original WBC convention (and even its ancestor tournaments!)
than of practical importance, but it is important to your gamemaster
and some other sentimentalists.

IF in print by the 2009 WBC we will begin our transition to
WWA from WTP. The default game in 2009 will be WTP, but
players preferring to play WWA will be matched against each other
in the Swiss portion of the competition if possible. Play
in the Single Elimination portion will be WTP unless both players
convince me that each prefers to play WWA. In 2010, the
roles of the two games will be reversed, with WWA being the default
title and WTP players accommodated in a similar fashion by the
tournament GM.

In recent years, our tournament has included a coached bracket.
That practice will be continued in 2009. In the coached
bracket, George Washington's War (if in print) will be the game
taught. Coached players will be matched with those of similar
background and skill. This game is very easy to learn.
In 2007 one player from the coached pool learned rapidly enough
to be advanced into the quarter-finals!

We The People uses the Swiss-Elimination format. A
sufficient number of opening Swiss rounds are played (probably
four but the exact number is determined by the number of entrants)
to fill a bracket of eight quarter-finalists. In
the Swiss format portion, players score two points for a victory
and one point for a draw. After each round, players with like
records are randomly matched for the subsequent round.
Once the field has been trimmed so that eight players have like
scores, they will begin the Single Elimination portion of the
tournament. Three SE rounds will result in a champion.

(Note: The following rules regarding Bidding apply ONLY
to WTP. Bidding will not be used in WWA in 2009.)

In each game, players will bid for sides. Bidding is a two
stage process. First, each player will take a PC counter and,
covering it with one hand, will turn up either the American side
or the British side. The side facing UP corresponds to the side
the player wishes to play. If the PCs show opposite sides,
then the players each get to play their desired side and no bonus
PCs are used. If both players wish to play the same side,
then they secretly write on their 'Player Record Form' (GM provided)
a bid in the form of the number of bonus PCs that they give their
opponent to play the opposite side. For example: Bill and Tony
both prefer to play the Americans. Bill thinks he can still win
as the American if he gives Tony three bonus British PCs, so
he writes "British + 3" on his form. For his part,
Tony is convinced that he has the perfect American plan and is
really unwilling to play the British. He writes "British
+7" on his form. Because he is willing to give up seven
PCs to Bill's three-PC handicap, Tony "wins" the bid
and will get to try out his American perfect plan. Bill will
play the British and, immediately after the American Committees
of Correspondence PCs are placed, he will get to place the seven
British PCs Tony offered. In 2008 the average bid was just
under three PCs awarded to the British player.

Three important details: First, if both players bid the same
number of PCs then they roll a single die to randomly determine
sides. The player with the higher roll may choose his side and
the bid is used by the appropriate player. Secondly, the bonus
PCs must be placed either in a port OR linked to a friendly PC
regardless of which side the PCs belong to, i.e. BONUS American
PCs cannotbe "paratrooped" anymore than the British.
(This prohibition on American PC's does NOT apply to the Committees
of Correspondence PCs nor during the course of the game.) Bonus
PCs during this stage can be chained. (meaning that once
placed that PC can support the placement of the next and so forth.)
Lastly, during the Single Elimination portion of the tournament,
the player receiving PCs is awarded the victory in case of a
draw. If during this stage of the tournament, both players bid
zero or bid for opposite sides, then a draw will be adjudicated
by a tie breaker rule distributed to all quarterfinalists at
the start of the SE phase of the tournament.

Seeding for the initial round of the Swiss portion of the
tournament will be semi-random. That is it will be random but
adjusted to ensure that (in order): (a) players who frequently
play each other at home are not paired, (b) semi-finalists from
last year are not paired, and (c) former champions are not paired.
Byes (if necessary) will be offered (but need not be accepted)
according to the BPA bye precedence rules found in the GM Guidelines.
There will be no byes during the Single Elimination portion of
the tournament; the GM reserves the right to place any qualifying
player from the Swiss rounds into the bracket as needed to replace
dropouts.

Procedural rules (e.g. die rolling, deck shuffling, slow play)
will be posted on the Kiosk and promulgated at the tournament.
To facilitate player understanding of the game before the tournament
begins, some interpretations of the game's rules are provided
below. Additional questions should be posted on the ConsimWorld
WTP discussion group where designer Mark Herman will either answer
the question or check the answer if it is provided by another
experienced player.

Additional prizes in the form
of books about the American Revolution are awarded: The John
Paul Jones Award to the Sportsmanship nominee. The Minuteman
Militia Award to the best performing tyro (assuming we have enough
newcomers). The Valley Forge Award to a player with dogged determination
and persistence despite outrageous fortune. Specific criteria
and judging are at the sole discretion of the GM.

ERRATA and FAQ: The following long standing official
FAQ and errata from the Designer are in effect for WTP.
WWA does not yet have errata nor FAQ. If any are available
from the designer at the start of WBC, they will be distributed
there. Players are cautioned not to mentally confuse the
two games, which is very easy to do given their similarities.

2.1 Errata: Boston is a Port space.

6.2 The European War card says that if the French Alliance
isn't in effect, the strategy cards are reshuffled. Does this
include the discards also?
A. Any time a card calls for a reshuffling of the Strategy Deck,
ALL cards (excluding those removed as a result of play) are reshuffled,
including discards.

6.2 There are three cards: William Pitt Peace Talks,
Hortelez et Cie, and the European War card that under certain
conditions reshuffle the Strategy Card deck, can these cards
be discarded and prevent the deck from being reshuffled?
A. The William Pitt and Hortelez et Cie cards must be played,
not discarded, in order for any of their effects to occur, hence
if they are discarded the deck is NOT reshuffled. On the other
hand, the European War card may NOT be discarded and it always
causes a reshuffling of the Strategy Card deck if the French
Alliance has not yet occurred in the game.

6.2 Can the Nathan Hale, Jane McCrea, or the Thomas
Paine event cards be used to convert a British PC marker into
an American PC marker in a space containing an American General?
A. No, each of these cards states that the space may not contain
a British piece. The presence of the American General doesn't
change this fact.

6.2Can the Declaration of Independence Special Event
card be used to convert a British PC marker into an American
PC marker in a space with an American General?
A. No, the card allows you to place American PC markers, if possible,
not convert British ones.

6.2 When the Declaration of Independence Special Event
is played, is the American player required to play a PC marker
if possible in each colony, or is it an option that he can exercise
or not as he sees fit?
A. Yes, placement of a PC is required in every colony where there
is an empty space available.

6.2 The European War card states, "two British
units are removed". Who chooses which CUs are removed?
A. The person playing the card removes the two CU; hence if the
British play it then they get to remove the ones they want, and
if the Americans play the card, they choose.

6.2 If the European War card is played prior to the
French Alliance, causing a reshuffling of the card deck, does
it activate the various cards that require it to be played, such
as the Don Bernardo Galvez card?
A. No, the only effect of the European War card being played
prior to the French Alliance is to reshuffle the deck.

6.2 Can the Benedict Arnold card be played during the
Strategy Phase, if no battle is occurring?
A. No, this card may be played prior to a battle only.

6.2 Can the Benedict Arnold card be played prior to
a battle when Benedict Arnold isn't present?
A. Yes, the card doesn't require the presence of Benedict Arnold
in order for the two additional Battle cards to be received.
Regardless of whether Benedict Arnold is at the battle when the
card is played or not he is still removed from play.

6.2 If the Benedict Arnold card is played and Benedict
Arnold is the commanding American General, whether attacking
or defending, when is he removed?
A. Benedict Arnold is removed the instant the card is played.
He would not be used for determining Battle Card totals, nor
Counterattack.

6.2 Is the John Glover Marblehead Regiment card an
activation card like a Minor Campaign card or is it played in
conjunction with an Operations or Campaign card?
A. It is NOT an activation card that allows a General to move
but is used in conjunction with an Operations or Campaign card
to increase the movement of ONE General. In the case of a Minor
or Major Campaign card only ONE of the two or three Generals
moved would get the movement bonus.

6.2 Does Rochambeau get the American general special
abilities of interception and retreat before combat?
A. Rochambeau, as stated, acts like an American General in EVERY
way. Rochambeau gets the special abilities to intercept and retreat
before combat. Additionally, the British get their Regulars bonus
in combat against French forces since they are treated as American
units in EVERY way.

7.0 When a Campaign card is played may a specific CU
be moved by more than one general?
A. No.

7.2 When a Campaign card is played can a General attempt
one intercept per enemy General moved?
A. No, as stated, each General gets one intercept attempt per
Strategy card played. Therefore, when a Campaign card is played
each General gets ONE intercept attempt total. For example if
the British played a Major Campaign card and Washington made
an intercept attempt against the first British General moved,
he would not be allowed to make any further intercept attempts
when the second and third Generals moved. It should be remembered
that a General who attempts an intercept, whether successful
or not, forfeits his ability to retreat before combat until the
next Strategy card is played. In this example after George Washington
attempted his intercept against the first British General he
loses his ability to retreat before combat for the remainder
of the British movements conducted during the Major Campaign
card play.

7.2 Can multiple intercepts occur when a British army
enters a space?
A. Yes, but the first successful intercept IMMEDIATELY causes
a battle preventing any further intercept attempts from occurring.
For example, if a British General entered a space with an American
PC which was also adjacent to two American Generals, each in
turn could attempt to intercept the British army, but if the
first attempt were successful then a battle would immediately
occur preventing the second General from attempting an interception.
If the first attempt failed then the second attempt could occur
and if successful the second American General would fight a battle.

7.2 If an intercepting American army loses the battle
it caused, must it retreat back to the space that it originated
from before the battle?
A. No, an interception places the intercepting American general
in the space as if he were there prior to the British move. His
retreat options are calculated as if he were in the space prior
to the British attempt to enter it and the normal retreat options
would prevail.

7.2 Can an American army intercept into a space that
already contains another American army?
A. Yes, but one of the Generals must be removed prior to the
battle. Remember, Washington is never the one removed.

7.2 If an American army attempts to intercept into
a space that already contains another American army and fails,
does this prevent the other American army from attempting a Retreat
Before Combat?
A. No, because the intercept of one General doesn't prevent the
other from attempting a Retreat Before Combat. However, if the
intercept is successful then a Battle is immediately conducted
preventing any further attempts at Retreat Before Combat.

7.2 If an American army fails to Retreat Before Combat,
can another American army then attempt to intercept into the
space?
A. No, because after a failed Retreat Before Combat a Battle
is immediately conducted preventing any further attempts at interception.

7.2 Can an American General alone, intercept into a
space containing American CU that are about to be attacked?
A. No, the interception pre-condition requires an army (i.e.,
a General and a CU), not a General alone.

7.2 Can an American General intercept into a space
that a moving British army is entering, if besides the presence
of an American PC marker there is also another British army?
A. No, an intercept assumes that the American army was in the
space prior to the British move which the prior presence of a
British army would preclude.

7.2 Does the American player receive an extra Battle
Card for intercepting into a space already containing American
CUs or only for a battle caused by a successful interception?
A. Yes, the act of interception gives the one card bonus whether
the battle would or would not have happened without the interception.

8. Can reinforcements for both sides be placed in a
space that only contains an enemy General, and if so is that
General captured?
A. Yes and Yes.

9.1 When can the British get Battle Cards for the Navy
in the Charleston, SC space?
A. The only time that the British get Battle Cards for the Navy
in the Charleston, SC space is when they are the original defender
in that space and there is a British PC marker present with no
French navy.

9.2 Does a player have to cancel an attackers' Battle
Card if he can or can he choose to play another card and lose
the battle?
A. A player can play any card he desires, if the one played fails
to cancel the attackers' Battle Card he loses the battle. The
fact that the defender had the proper card to cancel the attack
is immaterial.

9.2 Can a CU without a General perform a retreat?
A. Yes, a General is necessary for movement NOT retreat. Obviously,
a general is required to attempt retreat BEFORE combat.

9.2 Can the British retreat from a Port that they are
attacking into?
A. No, the attacker must always retreat back to the space from
which they attacked. Therefore the British can only retreat from
a Port space that they are defending.

9.2 Can the British attack from a port space into an
adjacent space, lose the battle, which places them back in the
original port space, and then retreat by sea to another port
space?
A. No, they would fall back into the port space, but NOT into
the port and then by sea somewhere else. The retreat by sea only
occurs if you are in a port space not retreated into one.

9.2 Can the British retreat from a Port space that
they are defending which has an American PC marker in it?
A. Yes, regardless of the presence (or absence) of a British
or American PC marker, the British can retreat from the Port
space (assuming the French navy isn't present). However, the
space they retreat into must be either empty or have a British
PC marker and in all cases neither space can contain the French
navy.

10.1 The American player cannot use Ops cards to place
PC when the Continental Congress is dispersed, but can the American
still convert British PC due to the presence of a General when
the Continental Congress is dispersed?
A. Yes. If the Continental Congress is dispersed, the American
player can still use an OPS card to flip PCs (one or more as
appropriate) in spaces where he has a General present.

10.1 If the Continental Line Mutiny Card is in play,
can the American still convert British PC due to the presence
of a General?
A. Yes. The effects of the Continental Line Mutiny Card in this
regard are the same as dispersing the Congress. An OPS card can
still be used to FLIP a PC in a space under one or more generals
(as appropriate) and PCs may still be placed if mandated by the
play of an EVENT card.

10.1 For purposes of playing a British PC marker or
determining political isolation, would Falmouth be considered
adjacent to Quebec and vice versa?
A. No, the Quebec-Falmouth line represents one of the greatest
winter marches in all history. Its only use is to allow Benedict
Arnold to have an historically important capability that offsets
the fact that you can't trust him. It has no effect on any other
game system other than those stated on the map and in the rules.

10.1 Can the British player place a PC marker during
the strategy phase using an operations card in an area occupied
by a British Army but not adjacent to an already existing British
PC?
A. No.

10.1 Can the British player flip a PC marker during
the strategy phase using an operations card in an area occupied
by a British Army but not adjacent to an already existing British
PC?
A. Yes.

10.1 Can the British player place a PC marker during
the strategy phase using an operations card in an area occupied
by an American General without CUs that is adjacent to an already
existing British PC?
A. Yes.

10.2 Can the British player place or flip a PC marker
in areas occupied by a British Army during the political control
phase, regardless of whether the army is adjacent to an existing
British PC?
A. Yes.

10.2 Can the American player place or flip a PC marker
in an area occupied only by an American General without CUs during
the political control phase?
A. No.

10.2 Can American PC markers be considered un-isolated
if they can trace through other American PCs to a British PC
space that contains an American CU or general?
A. In all cases the American CU or general piece must be in an
empty or American PC space. It cannot be in a British PC space
to fulfill the requirement. The same concept would go for the
British army.

10.2 If a British PC is located in a port blockaded
by the French Navy, can it trace to an adjacent neutral space
or army to avoid isolation?
A. Yes.

10.2 For purposes of tracing for isolation, is a space
containing an enemy CU but not an enemy PC considered "empty"?
A. No, it is not considered "empty" as that term is
used in 10.2. Nor is it considered "empty" when occupied
by an American general without any CUs. However, such a space
IS considered "empty" if it is occupied by a British
general without any CUs.

11 ADDITIONAL RULE:Single CUs are no longer immune
to Winter Attrition. During the Winter Attrition Phase, the owning
player must make an attrition die roll for all non-winter quarters
spaces north of the Winter Attrition Line containing a single
CU with no general. On a die roll of 1-3 there is no effect.
On a die roll of 4-6 the CU is eliminated.

12 Does control of Detroit and either Quebec and Montreal
give that player control of Canada?
A. No, in order to control Canada a player must possess both
Montreal and Quebec. The value of controlling Detroit is that
it counts when determining who has more PC markers in Canada
for militia purposes.

12 In cases of PC marker total ties the American player
controls a colony for victory purposes at the end of the game.
If Detroit has no PC marker in it and the Americans control either
Montreal or Quebec and the British control the other does the
American player control Canada due to the PC total tie?
A. No, Canada isn't a colony, as stated, the American player
needs to control both Quebec and Montreal in order to count Canada
for Victory purposes. In cases where the American player controls
either Quebec and Montreal without the other then the British
control Canada by default.